The son of a landowner in the village of Spasskoe Durnovo, he attended a boarding school at Moscow University at the same time as Russian diplomat, playwright, poet, and composer Alexander Griboyedov (who enrolled as a student on December 22, 1803).
He served in the military engineering corps, in the 2nd Pioneer Regiment, and retired in 1811 with the rank of lieutenant.
In 1827 he married Maria Sergeyevna Durnovo (Griboyedova), the sister of Alexander Griboyedov.
Later Aleksey Durnovo became an honorary trustee of the Tula Oblast Gymnasium.
[1] Aleksey's wife, Maria Durnovo, was a sister of Russian classical writer Alexander Griboyedov.